TRP: Larkin and Raef (Break In)
Warning: Potential Graphic Violence of the Death Kind Setting The Crooked Coin and Other Places. The Crooked Coin was mostly silent this time of night, the sounds of snoring and subdued laughter occasionally floating through the air. Raef's nose wrinkled his way as he wound his way past nearly empty tables and sleeping bodies, careful not to wake anyone as he made his way towards the sleeping quarters of the bar. There was nothing fancy about the bar and nothing fancy about the sleeping quarters, but he had an interest in one of the occupants. Once he had found the door, he pressed down on the handle and wasn't surprised when it didn't turn. She would have it locked. He knocked on the door none-too-quietly. Jen: There were four knocks. Larkin was awake at the second. She sat up on the bed, hand reaching for the dagger where it alwas rested beside her when she slept and gathered her thoughts. Her door? Yeah, definitely. Did she expect someone? Not really. Who knew she had crashed at the Crooked Coin tonight? Tazu, his waiters, any patron who would've seen her go upstairs and Raef who she'd been drinking with earlier. Did any of them had a reason to wake her up in the middle of the night? Nah. Did the knocks sound like paladins outside the door? ...possibly? She did not reply but got up, barefoot and quiet, and positioned herself beside the door, waiting to see what whoever was outside would do next. Mink: Raef hadn't expected Larkin to just open the door, but he could only roll his eyes when he wasn't answered. He knocked again. "Open the damn door, Larkin," he said, smiling. "We've got things to do and people to kill." Jen: What the... what? Either there was a paladin outside who did a great job at imitating Raef or... Larkin shook her head, trying to get the stupor of sleep out. Bullshit. She opened the door. As expected, there was only Raef doing a fair impression of himself. She blinked at him. "We what?" Mink: "We've got things to do and people to kill," Raef repeated with a smile at the tiefling. He took a step inside, sidestepping Larkin so the door could be closed. "We should probably go out the window, though. There's still people downstairs." Most were asleep, or they weren't paying attention, but it would be a lot easier if they just avoided the patrons all together. Jen: "Ahhh..." was all Larkin could think of to say as she move aside to not have Raef walk right into her. She was having trouble making sense of what was going on and it wasn't all because she'd just woken up out of deep sleep. Or am I still dreaming? "Hold on," she said to Raef's back. He had opened the window's shutters and was looking out. "Things to do? People to kill? What the hell's going on?" Mink: Raef glanced out the window, taking a cursory glance to make sure no one else was running around too close before he turned back to her. The smile flickered and vanished as he looked at Larkin. Any answer he had was a complicated one and he had been careful to not let it slip out to the guild; it was on a need to know basis, but he supposed Larkin was someone who was quickly entering the "need to know" group. "There's someone in town who I need to speak with," he said instead of replying directly to the question. "And I need your help getting to them." Jen: "And stick something sharp into them I suppose?" Larkin took the two steps that seperated her from the bad and tossed the dagger back onto it, then rubbed her face with both hands. "So, let me get this straight. This isn't a 'we'-problem, this is a 'you'-problem and I'm the lucky one who's gonna help you solve it in the middle of the night." Mink: "At some point, yes." Sticking something into the target was one of the things on his list for that. He mulled over his next words, but Larkin was more than capable of pinpointing what that night was about. "It's entirely a 'me' problem, but the guy carries a pretty penny on him." He glanced back out the window, checking the area again. There was no such thing as too cautious. "So, are you going to help me or am I going to have to figure out how to pick a lock by myself?" Jen: Larkin chuckled at that. "Are you threatening me with having your ass kicked if I don't help you?" She looked him over in the dark. Normally, she'd say no. Not with no much mystery and not on such a short notice. But Raef did seem set on doing whatever it was he wanted to do, with or without her. And, admittedly, he'd made her curious. "Well, tell me about it." Mink: "Maybe." Raef laughed softly, smiling again, this time with more mirth before Larkin's next statement came. "What do you want to know?" Jen: This time, Larkin laughed aloud. She'd sat down on the bed again and was pulling on her boots and outer layers of clothing. "Well, everything for a start. Where are we going, who's the target, what kind of building do we have to get into, how's the security situation, are there any dogs-" she halted and looked up at him. "Why so last-minute anyway?" Mink: Raef would have sighed with relief, but he kept the feeling quiet as he watched Larkin. "He's supposed to leave tomorrow," he answered as he rested back against the wall, tracing his thumb across the hilt of the dagger nestled into its holder. "We're going to the edge of town....his name's Kagan and he's staying with some brute at a shack at the edge of town." He paused. "No dogs." Thankfully. "But everything's locked tight." Jen: "You woke me up in the middle of the fucking night to tell me about something we're doing tomorrow?" Mink: Raef had to laugh at the irritated question. "No. I plan on killing him tonight." Jen: "Oh. Good." Larkin had finished wriggling into her clothing and tucked the dagger back into its sheath. "Let's get going then." Mink: "Awesome." Raef grinned and opened the window. He grabbed the edge and dropped himself to the ground, being careful because the last thing he needed was to bust ass on his way to kill someone. He waited for Larkin to join him to start walking. "Oh...I should have probably asked earlier, but you're fine with murder, right?" Jen: Larkin gave him an irritated look. He seemed way too excited about this whole affair - something personal going on? "Well, I'm not a- uhm, it's not what I usually do. I do the second-story work and you do the rest, alright? Just... stop talking about it so goddamn loud." Mink: Raef nearly waved off the warning, but he was aware she was right. He was also more than willing to do any of the dirtier aspects of his job. "That's all I need." If Larkin decided to leave after helping him get into the house and the bedroom that Kagan was in, that would be fine. The elf's eyes wandered as they walked and he made sure to keep them within the shadows. It was late, but this city never slept and he really didn't want to explain to Ripley, or the others, what he and Larkin were up to. The trip to the house - which was too generous of a word - felt like it took an eternity, but they eventually arrived and he stopped beneath a scraggly looking tree to survey the rundown building. It was two stories tall with several of the windows boarded up. They weren't the issue. The issue was that he knew there was a larger orc patrolling the building. This way. Raef flipped the signs easily to Larkin and winked, heading towards the back door that was overshadowed by scruffy bushes. Jen: This really was the edge of town. Not the edge her uncle's people did business in, fortunately, or she'd have been forced to back out. As far as Larkin could tell, she'd never been around this area. Without any prior knowledge, she was forced to trail along behind Raef. She hated it. It felt like going blind. The type of building, however, she knew. Tear-down front, looking ready to collapse at any minute and the material so rotted it wasn't even good for firewood anymore. But inside, a great number of things could be hidden. Once inside the cover of the bushes, she stopped Raef. They'd been barging in way too fast and she needed more info to work with. What floor? Patrols? How many people around? she gestured the signs at him and hoped, they meant the same to him as to her. Mink: Two. Raef slipped quietly beneath a bush, careful to not brush against even a piece. He held up a finger before he could be told to slow down. He was only listening. Orcs could be quiet, but this area was also quiet and the home looked as if it could be blown over with one good gust. Kagan's upstairs. The other....could be anywhere. Only one's patrolling. He looked down the door as he signed, sweeping the area for any traps that could be hidden. Kagan's guard had the potential to be stupid, but he highly doubted Kagan was. Jen: Only two people? This seemed... odd. What exactly where they doing here? Larkin also did not feel confident about not having seen that one patrolling person yet. Not from afar and not from back here. No footsteps to be heard either. What if they were hiding? Raef and her could be walking right into a trap. where's the patrol? Don't want them in our back. How much time do you need? Mink: As much as I can get. Raef smiled, but there was no mirth in it this time. Neither of the beings in the house were coming out alive. Unlock the door and I'll get the one patrolling. Jen: This was a plan of action Larkin could work with. She nodded and made a few more quick signs. Watch for traps. Then she tuned around and examined the door. Unlike the rest of the building, it was sturdy and relatively new. A clear sign that the shack's facade hid something interesting. The lock was high quality as well but at least, there seemed to be no traps. Not on the outside at least. That outlook might change once she got the door open. Mink: Raef stepped back to give Larkin more room, and so he could view more of the door as Larkin worked. As the door clicked open, he was quick to move and he grabbed the handle before it could be pushed open further. Snick! His dagger slipped through the thin, silvery line that had glinted momentarily in the moonlight. He pushed the door open then, the trap disarmed. Close one, he signed before stepping inside into the dark hallway. He could make out the shapes of various items along the wall, but the hall grew darker as it turned at the end towards a staircase. Hear anyone? Jen: No. A short gesture. She could tell Raef was impatient to get going but this wasn't how it worked. Something about this place was off but Larkin couldn't quite put her finger on it. Or maybe it was because she was on a team job without... she dismissed the thought. No, it was because she couldn't, in fact, hear anything. If someone were patroling here, they should be able to hear footsteps or wood creaking. But it was dead silent. She didn't like that. They'd need to clear the first floor before moving upstairs. Larkin rose into a half crouch and took a step forward, testing the floor. Nothing creaked or cracked. Good. She gestured at Raef to close the door, then took a cautious look around into a room branching off the hallway right next to the entrance. Nothing. clear ground level rooms, she signed to Raef. Mink: Raef waited behind as Larkin took the lead, testing the floor and looking down the hall. He closed the door at the signal, twisting the handle until the door was in place so the lock wouldn't make a sound to break the eerie silence that filled the hallway. The home almost had a sense of waiting, but he shrugged it off as nerves though this wasn't the first time he had someone within his sights. Got it. He lowered himself closer towards the floor in a crouch, taking slow steps in case he stepped in an area that creaked. He felt almost ridiculous as he moved along down the hallway, checking a hall closet that was cracked open before he moved along further down the hall. Raef stilled his breath as they reached the turn until he peeked around the corner, feeling like he should have bothered to learn some other spell than what he had in his arsenal. He pulled back once he caught his glimpse. His one patrolling orc had doubled and both were bigger than he had anticipated. Jen: Larkin saw Raef go stiff and knew something was wrong. Of course. She'd actually wondered when it'd happen. She stopped where she was as well and slowly, trying to avoid any sound, slipped out a dagger. Mink: Two, just around the corner. Sitting at small table, or maybe the table just looked small under them. Raef pressed his back against the wall, trying to think quickly. He highly doubted his rope was going to be of any use here. He drew out a dagger from his sheath and he stepped out around the corner. He still kept low on the off chance they were too busy with the meager goods on the table. For a moment it seemed like they were until the floor board creaked and thick, bald head swirled around. He flung his dagger in a smooth motion. It soared through the air and it should have struck, but the orc swatted it away. Fuck. Jen: Larkin followed behind Raef when he began to move. Just as the two orcs came into her view, he hit a loose floor board. Shit. She had time enough to watch the orc spoiling Raef's admittedly very nice dagger throw, utter a curse and jerk back around the corner in unison with the elf. Larkin had no idea how the two of them would fight two orcs twice their sice and about four times their combined bodyweight. The only things she had on her were her two daggers, a couple utility knives and... she patted herself down and her hand found a small, stiff leather container. It was filled with a couple of needles and a thick fluid. This might work. The orc huffed as he advanced and Larkin could feel the trembling of the floor boards while she fumbled to insert the blade of a small knife into the poison pouch. It came out with a faint wet sheen and she hastily pressed it into Raef's hand. "Throw this!" Mink: Raef was more than glad that the orcs had taken a moment of respite because, he was certain, if they had been on patrol this whole thing would have headed south a lot further. He was reaching for his other dagger when he felt something be placed into his hand and he glanced down at the knife, the blade glinting wetly. He smiled; Larkin was always prepared. He took another step forward and he threw the knife as the first orc hastily went to draw out his mace. The large orc froze as the knife found its mark, burying itself into the male's arm. He growled and pulled it out to drop it to the ground before swinging his mace around, taking threatening steps forward only to start to stagger and his eyes widened. Raef made sure the orc was truly staggering before he turned his attention towards the other orc. "Anymore?" he asked Larkin, holding out one hand while his other gripped the pommel of his rapier. Jen: "Shit, no." She'd emptied out the needles to fit the blade into the pouch and had none left that was slim enough. Mink: "Awesome." Raef chuckled and scratched the back of his head as he eyed the one remaining orc, the teammate dropping to the floor with a thud! He really needed to invest in some poison. "He seems stupid. I think we can take him out without it." The orc snarled at the words, but whether or not he comprehended them was a different matter. He dragged out a thick sword hanging down his back and took the first steps forward to bring him closer to the smaller rogues. Jen: The orc was alone now but Larkin bet he could still fuck the both of them up no questions asked. He was massive. She turned to look back behind them, at them empty hallway. No cover. One exit. They could retreat upstairs but there could be even more waiting for them. They'd have to take him on down here. She eyed the hallway again and had an idea. Or maybe it was panic, she wasn't quite sure, but there was no time to debate that. "Fuckin' hog-face can't even scratch his own nose I bet," she sneered at the orc, who promptly shot back something that must've been some kind of orcish profanity and charged at them. "Run!" Larkin shouted to Raef and bolted down the hallway. To her relief he followed. At the front door she ripped it open, rushed out and pressed herself against the wall right next to it. The moment Raef cleared the door she raised a hand and snapped her fingers. The door banged shut. A heartbeat later it shook with the impact of orc on oak. Mink: "That was rude," Raef muttered beneath his breath at the orc's profanity, but he turned and he followed when told to. He was on Larkin's heels and slid a little once out the front door to move behind a wall. His jaw tensed as the door crashed into the door; they were making a lot more noise than he had hoped for. He waited as he heard shuffled footsteps and what sounded like a grunt. He reached for the door handle and cracked the door open just enough so he could see what the orc was up to. He was glad the orc was staggering, rubbing at his face, and he slipped in through the door. He kept to the shadowy corner, unsheathing his rapier before he slowly stuck out a foot to the trip the orc and send him falling down face first onto the tip of the rapier. He dropped it quickly so the orc's own weight impaled him without dragging him with it. Jen: Larkin heard the thud of a large body hitting the floor and released the breath she'd held. That was awful. But it had also been fucking fun. She couldn't quite decide if she should be mad at Raef for dragging her into this stupid, dangerous break-in or thank him because so far, it had been the most entertaining thing she'd done in weeks. There was time to think about that later, though. She pushed a strand of sweaty hair out of her face and peaked through the door behind him. "Was that all of 'em?" she asked in a low voice. Mink: "I hope so. There was only supposed to be that one," Raef answered in a whisper, nodding towards the one sprawled out on the floor, skin blotchy from the poison. He withdrew his rapier and wrinkled his nose at the blood that coated the blade. He fished out a rag to wipe it down so he could sheath it once more; cleaning a sheath was more of a pain in the ass than cleaning the blade. He looked up the staircase before finally taking them, testing them first to keep them from creaking like the floor board. The top floor had a thin runner down the middle of the hall, aiding in muffled steps, but also causing the potential issue of snagging. The bedroom's in the back, he signed. It was also locked; most of the doors on the second floor were. They would have to raid them after Kagan was dealt with or Larkin could raid them while he dealt with the orc. Jen: She nodded at his signal and silently walked past him, moving close to the shut doors as she went to listen for any noises. All was quiet but so had been the two downstairs. At the bedroom door she crouched down once more and inserted the lock picks. Seconds later, the bolt clicked back. Larkin got up to make room for Raef. Mink: Raef kept back for Larkin to work at picking the lock; she was always good at them and he knew he should bother her for lessons. Later, though. He had things to do, involving the orc in the bedroom. As soon the lock clicked and Larkin moved out of the way, he moved past her and opened the door. Snoring greeted him and he snapped his fingers to cast a handy little spell he had learned: deafness. Even with the orc incapable of hearing him, he moved quietly across the carpet. He withdrew a rope and created two loops on either end. His blood rushed in his ears and felt almost giddy with nerves, but his face remained passive. He glanced back towards Larkin. Could you go to the other side of the bed? Jen: Those were a lot of signs. Raef flashed them at her in such quick succession that she had trouble deciphering a few of them. Or maybe she just didn't know them all. Go up what? Raef glanced at the end of the bed, twisting the rope in his hands. Oh. Larkin closed the door and walked over to where he seemed to want her. Something about Raef's face and the way he moved made her suspect the fun was about to end. He seemed on edge, impatient to... do what exactly? Larkin wouldn't describe herself as squeamish but as she watched him, she began to question if she really wanted to be present for this. Mink: "Just loop it over his wrist." Raef carefully tossed Larkin the loop once she was in place. He made she caught it and was ready before he looped the other end over the hand and wrist nearest him. He waited for her to the same before he tugged quickly, jerking the orc's arms up and he hooked the tightened rope around the post closest to him. Then the elf was on the bed and tying it around the other post. By this time the orc's had snapped open and the man roared in anger as his body bucked. "Oh good, you're awake." Raef snapped his fingers again to dissipate the spell. He glanced towards Larkin once it vanished; she didn't seem comfortable. "You don't have to be here." He smiled warmly at her, but it was gone by the time he was looking down at the orc. "Me and big boy here can have a private chat." "Fuck you!" the orc bucked and Raef stepped out of the bed, dropping to the floor and removing another rope, this time to tie the orc's legs to the posts at the foot of the bed. "Like I said to the chieftain, that's an awfully rude thing to say." Jen: Larkin made sure to tie the knot tight at her side of the bed. So, it was going to be one of those conversations. It wouldn't be the first one she'd watched but she was still a bit reliefed when Raef told her she could go. That was just fine with her. Let him do his thing. "I'll be outside," she said as she went to leave the room. "Yell if you need me." Mink: "Will do." But he didn't. Once the door was shut, the work began. ** Raef sank down onto the edge of the bed, the sheets sticky with cooling blood. Nothing. Not the smallest bit of information that could help him. The mountains. He already knew that. He twisted the blooded blade in his fingertips as he stared down at the carpet. It was becoming a theme and it could only serve to make his stomach twist with anger and sorrow. But he took a deep breath and made himself get up. He wiped at his sweaty, tear flecked face with the back of his hand before he walked to the door and opened it. He made sure he closed it before Larkin could peek at the bloody mess inside, his clothing reminiscent of the scene. "Want to look around before I burn this place down?" Jen: Raef had taken his sweet time. Larkin started a bit when the door opened, then turned to look up at him from where she sat on the floor. He was covered in blood, the hems of his sleeves soaked and dark. She swallowed what she was about to say and instead lifted her pack up, making the contents jangle. She'd rooted around the house while he was busy, looting the bodies and making sure there weren't any more visitors coming. There had, indeed, been a pretty penny around here, as Raef had put it. Mink: Raef hadn't been there for any of the gold or trinkets found. As Larkin searched, he set about putting kindling in strategic places to set the house aglow in no time. When she was done, he lit the fires, starting on the second floor and ending on the first. "Time to leave before we roast as well," he said with a smile at the tiefling. He chose the backdoor again and opened it for her to leave as smoke began to drift through the halls. He closed the door once they were safely out. "Thank you," he said once they were a distance away. He didn't get what he wanted, but Larkin had chosen to come along and that....that was something. He was going to clasp his shoulder until he realized his hands were less than clean. "A lot of blood for nothing." The words were almost a mumble, something that had slipped out before he could close his mouth. Jen: Larkin didn't bother asking what he meant. It didn't matter to her and if he had wanted her to know, Raef would have told her before. This was his business, not hers. "Happy to help. That was..." she thought of the sound of the orc hitting the door again and grinned a bit to herself. "Fun. Next time though, don't wake me up in the middle of the fucking night. Alright?" Mink: Raef laughed at that. "I promise not to awake you in the middle of the night again," he said, amusement sill evident. "Unless it'll be a whole lot of fun." END Category:Text Roleplay Category:Raef Category:Larkin